Musical instrument



Jldy 25, 1939. H A. MCCORD 2,167,582

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed De. 28, 1937 NNNNNN OR TTTTTTT YS Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT GFHQE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to musical instruments and more particularly to musical instruments wherein a plurality of Whistles are utilized for producing the musical notes.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a musical instrument equipped with a plurality of whistles tuned within the diatonic as well as the chromatic scale and provided with keys whereby said whistles may be selectively sounded.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the above described character which is simple in construction, pleasing and sweet in sound, and easy of operation.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claims and annexed drawing.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several Views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the instrument.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l.

In practicing my invention I provide an elongated body 5 formed with an air chamber 6 in communication with a mouth piece mounted on the top face of said body. One of the lateral walls of said body comprises a detachable plate 8 secured to said body by means of screws whereby the chamber and parts therein may be cleaned or adjusted as desired.

A plurality of whistles 9 are carried by the lower wall of said body and communicate at the upper ends thereoi` with the air chamber E. Said Whistles are of substantially the same dia -..eter but of varying lengths whereby air introduced therein will produce tones of the chromatic as well as the diatonic scale. The whistles are also arranged in pairs separated at the lower ends thereof by a space bar Il) and said whistles are provided at said lower ends with plugs tI and adjacent the upper ends with sound emitting openings I 2. Rods I3 secured to each end of th body and connected to the space bar maintain said space bar in spaced position between said whistles.

Valves I4 are seated for actuation on the upper ends of the whistles and are provided with valve stems I5 extending through the tcp wall of the body. Said stems, at the upper ends thereof, have secured thereon yokes i5 having rollers I'i mounted therein.

Brackets I8 are secured on the top wall of said body and have pivoted thereon keys 5B fashioned at one end with nger pieces 2E) and at the opposite ends with arms extending within said yokes and engaging the rollers I'I..

Mounted about the stems iii within the chamber and engaging the upper walls of the body and valves I4 are springs I which normally maintain the valves in closed positions on the upper ends of the whistles 9.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that by selectively actuating the keys IQ, the valves are in turn opened and permit air, blown into the chamber 5 through the mouth piece i, to be discharged within the whistles and thereby sound Ithe same. It is to be understood that the keys are selectively actuated in the proper order to produce notes from the whistles forming a musical composition.

What I claim is:

l. A wind-instrument of the character described, comprising a body provided with top and bottom walls and having an air chamber formed therein, a mouth-piece on said body for conducting respiratorily induced air into said chamber, a plurality of whistles mounted on said bottom wall and in communication with said chamber, valve members within said chamber and normally engaging said bottom Wall. said members overlying said whistles and selectively operated for opening and closing the communication between said -chamber and said whistles, means engaging said valve members for normally maintaining the latter in overlying engagement with said bottom wall thereby closing communication between said whistles and said chamber, and keys carried by said body and pivotally mounted on said top wall for actuating said valve members whereby to permit respiratorily induced air in said chamber to sound said whistles selectively.

2. A wind-instrument of the character described, comprising a body provided with top and bottom Walls and having an air chamber formed therein, a mouth-piece on said body for conducting respiratorily induced air into said chamber, a plurality of whistles mounted on said bottom Wall and in communication with said chamber, valve members within said chamber and normally engaging said bottom wall, said members overlying said whistles and provided with stems selectively operated for effecting opening and closing of communication between said chamber and said whistles, said stems extending through said` 

